Median Earnings with a Master's Degree

• The median weekly earnings for a full-time worker with a master's degree came to $1,272 in 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For 52 weeks of work, this equals an annual income of $66,144.
  
  

Comparison with Other Degree Levels

• Median weekly and yearly earnings for different degree levels show that more education generally means higher earnings. A worker with an associate degree had median weekly earnings of $767, or annual earnings of $39,884, according to the 2010 government statistics. Those with a bachelor's degree earned a median of $1,038 per week or $53,976 per year. Those with a doctoral degree in any field had median earnings of $1,550 weekly or $80,600 yearly. The highest earners had a professional degree, whether a master's or doctoral degree, and received $1,610 or $83,720 median pay.
  
  

Other Factors

• Your educational level alone does not determine your salary. Other factors include your field of study, your position, the size of your employer, the location of the job and your experience. For example, all speech-language pathologists need a master's degree, but salaries vary widely. The median wage for this profession as of 2010 came to $69,880, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, pathologists at the 10th percentile in earnings made $42,970 per year, while those at the 90th percentile earned $103,630.
  
  

Type of Master's Degree

• Not all master's degrees give you equal earning power. Based on pay and job outlook, "Forbes" magazine identified the best and worst master's degrees for job-seekers. Among the best, "Forbes" recommends a master's in physician assisting or computer science. Holders of these two degrees usually earn more $100,000 per year by mid-career. Jobs for physician assistants will increase by 39 percent from 2008 to 2018, while jobs in computer science will grow by 27 percent. A master's in music is less lucrative, as is one in social work or education. These degree-holders face a weak job market and typically earn less than $60,000 per year.
  
  

Job Security

• Master's degree holders generally have lower unemployment than those with less education. The average rate of unemployment in 2010 for those with a high school diploma came to 10.3 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those with some college but lacking a degree averaged 9.2 percent unemployment, and those with an associate degree averaged 7.0. Workers with a bachelor's degree experienced a rate of 5.4 percent, while those with a master's degree averaged only 4 percent unemployment.